C’était le bon temps, le sexisme pépouze.
(It was the good time, when sexism was easy-going.)
Elyse Galiano
2024
White men’s shirt, embroidered with natural hair, framed
44,5 cm x 68,5 cm
A white men’s shirt is framed so that it looks like it is being presented in a gift box by a men’s outfitter. Dark long hairs seem to grow out of it. A closer inspection reveals a lettering from where the hair is embroidered to the shirt. It writes “C’était le bon temps, le sexisme pépouze.” (It was the good time, when sexism was easy-going.). Created by the French artist Elyse Galiano, renown for her hair art, it was first on view in the exhibition “Sexisme pépouze” curated by Myriam Leroy in December 2024 until January 2025 at the Galerie “That’s what x said” in Brussels.
In March 2024, Myriam Leroy got access to around 4300 messages from a private Facebook group. Here men and women exchanged their hate mainly against the Belgian journalist, author, director of documentaries and novelist and some other militant feminists. Anonymised, she transmitted this conversation to twelve artists, who interpreted it with their artistic means. Elyse Galiano was one of them.
She picked up one of the comments and conceived with it the present artwork. Hereby, the choice of the white men’s shirt certainly isn’t accidental. This garment could be interpreted as a symbol of masculine power. It is the customary clothing of men in high political or management positions. To wear it, in particular in combination with a suite, is the basis for acceptance and promotion. The resistance to apply this dress-code could be sanctioned, as recently occurred during the visit of Ukraine’s president Zelensky at the White House in Washington.*
Besides, Elyse frequently uses white background for her embroideries with natural hair, among them a traditional nightgown and white handkerchiefs. Her use of natural hair could be interpretated as a reference to femininity, like the nightgown and the handkerchiefs, which are all female attributes, even though perhaps a little bit antiquated. Moreover, she embroidered texts from ancient manuals of good manners for women on white canvas. On one hand this background allows a contrast and with that better readability of the sentences. On the other hand, it underlines the apparent innocence of these admonitions. The result are cynical comments about how men use(d) to educate women to subordination.
The chosen quote on the white shirt underlines the ingenuous manner antifeminists express their hate against women who advocate for gender equality and against sexism. With “It was the good time” the author implies a period, when things were better, a golden age. The second part of the sentence “when sexism was easy-going.” explains the particular situation and possibilities, when it was easy to take a position against feminist women, when there was no objection against it.
In picking up this quote and repeating it on a seemingly innocent white shirt, Elyse highlights and transforms it to a cynical comment on a today ambiguous attitude. At the same time, she unmasks and denounces it. Additionally, the artist refers to the title of the exhibition, which was the trigger for the creation. After the show, “C’était le bon temps, le sexisme pépouze.” entered a private collection.
Elyse Galiano
Born in 1980 in Strasbourg, France, Elyse Galiano obtained her bachelor’s degree in applied arts in Strasbourg. Subsequently, she studied fine arts in Besançon, France, which she completed with the diploma DNSEP (level Master) in 2004. To extend her practical skills, she entered the Atelier de Couture of Caroline (tailoring studio) in Ixelles, Belgium. During her studies, the artist frequented internships and artist residences. In particular, she made an internship at the Nouveau Théâtre in Besançon. After her studies, she worked for several years at the Opéra la Monnaie in Brussels, where she operated in the studios for sculpture, tapestry, dyeing and accessories of costumes. Later, she worked as scenographer and costume designer for several theatres like the Théâtre de la Guimbarde, Charleroi, Belgium and the Lily & Compagnie, Tournai, Belgium.
These activities were guiding for Elyse’s “individual” artistic practice. Often, her installations evoke stage designs, where fabric plays an important role. Since 2006 arises a passion for embroidery, which is reflected in her creative outcome. Thereby, the thread is increasingly replaced by natural hair, due to her explicit interest in female history and the role of women in society. This research became manifest in the artist’s solo exhibitions and participations, starting in 2014. “Apolline, Constance et les autres …” (Spazio Testoni, Bologna, 25 November 2017 – 13 January 2018) was her first solo show in Italy. Besides the embroidery on canvas of the title giving series, there were portraits in natural hair (De corps et d’esprit), a brass wire installation and one room dedicated to female handiwork. Like for the larger canvas hair embroidery, Elyse stitched texts for “Ouvrage de dames” from ancient manuals for female manners on handkerchiefs. Our Artwork of the Month of March 2018, “Huisvrouw” (Housewife) is from the series “Apolline, Constance et les autres …”
With her sculptural installations, she was represented in many solo and group shows, mainly in France, Belgium and Italy. After the double personal exhibition “Fil rouge” with Donatella Lombardo at the gallery Contemporanea 2 in Florence (April 2018), the Milanese Manuel Zoia Gallery dedicated its booth to Elyse’s works at the BOOMING Contemporary Art Show in Bologna (January 2020). Our Artwork of the Month of October 2021 “Conversation” was for the first time there on view.
Moreover, she created decors for festivals, gives workshops in embroidery and intervenes in schools (Mus-e asbl, Brussels). During her long-lasting activity at various theatres, she made textile features, stage designs and costumes for several productions. Elyse created the scenography for the plays “Alba”, “Rouge, fil rouge” and “Lisières” for the Théâtre de la Guimbarde.
Her most recent exhibition participation was in December 2024. Invited by the Belgian journalist, author, director of documentaries and novelist Myriam Leroy, 12 artists interpretated 4300 hate and antifeminist messages from a private Facebook group. Elyse’s contribution, “C’était le bon temps, le sexisme pépouze.” (It was the good time, when sexism was easy-going.) is our Artwork of the Month / April 2025.
Elyse lives and works in Le Mans, France.
* https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c1d4r9yvqzpo retrieved 21/03/2025